[reta]

Hi,

I've set up my XBMC to always start on monitor #2 which is a TV in the living room, and monitor #1 shows my regular desktop in my "work room". However, if I touch anything on monitor #1 XBMC minimizes (or disappears somewhere) until I alt tab or change the focus back to XBMC again. Is it possible to somehow simultaneously use XBMC on my TV and use the other monitor for other things?

The best thing would of course be to be able to use the remote (set up with evenghost) with XBMC on monitor #2 while someone else simultaneously uses a keyboard and mouse with monitor #1. I don't know if this really is possible, have "two focuses" each for every input device, maybe have evenghost send every signal from the remote specificly for XBMC but every other input is a regular input (for other apps)... and if it isn't, is there just a way to prevent XBMC from hiding, so that someone can use the computer even though someone else is watching a movie with XBMC in the living room?

Thanks in advance!

[jhsrennie]

This is a limitation of the DirectX full screen mode. It won't share the display with any other app, even with a dual screen setup, and it minimises when any other app gets the focus. To fix this go into Settings, System, Video output and enable the setting "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullsceen". Note that this will slow down rendering and you may notice tearing or jerkiness on videos, especially at 1080p.

You can get the remote to work even when XBMC by using Eventghost. This is because Eventghost can sit in the background intercepting signals from your remote and directing them to whatever app you want.

However my long experience of XBMC suggests that the best solution, if not the cheapest, is to get a Revo for the sitting room and run XBMC Live on it.

JR

[plonkman]

i do this all the time.

i have xbmc setup through my television and regularly play directx games (dragon age, mass effect 2 etc..) and browse the net / other "pc stuff" on the main pc monitor whilst my other half watches on stuff on xbmc (using the rc6 mce).

the only thing i've noticed it that sometimes (not all the time), xbmc will stick in the menus until i "alt-tab" or "win key" back to the desktop from the game i'm playing . xbmc will then start working again and i can continue with my headphone gaming.

my settings are to use a full screen window rather than true full screen and to start on display #2. i dont think i did anything else special (maybe a bit of dicking around getting the green button on the rc6 to start xbmc).

hope this helps.

edit:

my system specs are reasonable though. win7 32bit + q6600 @ 3.5 ghz + nvidia 285 gtx

[ducati67]

This is a limitation of the DirectX full screen mode. It won't share the display with any other app, even with a dual screen setup, and it minimises when any other app gets the focus. To fix this go into Settings, System, Video output and enable the setting "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullsceen".
JR

I tried this but it will not go into 100% full screen. It will take up the whole screen, but the windows bar (the one with the name of the app and the underscore, square box, and X in the right hand upper corner) is still on top. Is there a way to get rid of the bar?